“Jessica Hodge takes the invisibility of gender in lay, political, and legal discussion of hate crime and hate crime law in the U.S. as a point of departure and offers a compelling set of interrelated arguments about ‘gendered hate’ in the modern moment. . . . Because this book contains rich historical detail, important sociological insight, and thought-provoking policy implications, it is a valuable contribution to our understanding of two social problems with which we are all too familiar—violence against women and hate crime—and the law’s relationship to both. . . . Gendered Hate provides much needed sociological insight into past decisions and makes a clear call for future action.”—Sex Roles

A unique analysis of hate crime law through the lens of gender

Hate crime laws, on both the federal and state levels, increasingly include gender, yet the category continues to be controversial and rarely implemented. Law enforcement officials themselves view the gender category differently from other forms of bias crimes, such as those based on race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Why are these types of bias crimes reported more extensively than those gender-biased crimes?

Jessica P. Hodge uses extensive empirical research, including newspaper accounts, legislative histories, and interviews with criminal justice professionals and advocacy groups to investigate the creation and implementation of the gender category in New Jersey. She finds several reasons why the gender category is (or is not) included and/or implemented in particular cases. Extrapolating her findings beyond the Garden State, Hodge illuminates the challenges of developing definitive and effective gender-inclusive bias crime statutes.